In curating the festival in its 20th anniversary year, the iconic musician and artist follows in the footsteps of some of music's biggest names including David Bowie, Patti Smith, Jarvis Cocker and Massive Attack. 

Celebrating her 80th birthday in 2013, worldwide cultural icon Yoko Ono brings a lifetime of achievement in music, visual art and peace activism to Southbank Centre. Yoko Ono's Meltdown (14 – 23 June 2013) will be led by the artist's dedication to environmentalism, feminism and peace. She has collaborated with and influenced a list of incredible artists and musicians including Lady Gaga, David Byrne, Patti Smith, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Ornette Coleman, Mark Ronson Cat Power, Antony, Peaches, The Flaming Lips, Andy Warhol… the list goes on.

For 20 years Meltdown has invited internationally renowned musicians to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences at Southbank Centre. Tasking artists to take over the 21-acre artistic site, Meltdown is renowned for unique events and artist led programming, from Jeff Buckley's final UK show to the New York Dolls reuniting, and the first solo performance in fifteen years from Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser. Yoko Ono is no stranger to the festival, having performed as part of Ornette Coleman's Meltdown in 2009, and her return for the 2013 festival promises to have 10 days of not-to-be missed performances.

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